INI: The Information Networking Institute

Women@INI

Our goals

Women@INI (WINI) is committed to promoting and supporting the professional and academic goals of Information Networking Institute (INI) students. The goal of our organization is to create a nurturing and inspiring learning environment that promotes and celebrates gender and cultural equality and diversity, both within and beyond the INI.

Our values

Women@INI promotes leadership and a standard of excellence. Through the organization and the scholarship program of Women@INI, we will cultivate leadership qualities in INI students.

Women@INI is committed to "giving back to society," for we believe that tomorrow's leaders in information technology must be well versed in social as well as technical issues. Our participants will be encouraged to become involved in community building projects on campus, in the greater Pittsburgh area, and across international boundaries.

Our approach

Women@INI will take an active and integral role in recruiting, career placement, and the daily enrichment of student life. We will work with local communities and international organizations to promote networking and leadership opportunities for participants and to benefit society at large.

Women@INI will collaborate with parallel organizations on campus to foster inter-disciplinary learning and career opportunities. In addition, Women@INI will facilitate training and career development programs to prepare individuals for a challenging career in information technology.

The Women@INI scholarship program will award two scholarships per year to students who show academic merit and proven leadership in Women@INI and other academic programs. These scholarships will allow recipients to attend conferences focusing on women in technology.

Women@INI Scholarships

Executive Women's Forum Fellowship

The INI and Carnegie Mellon CyLab have partnered with the Executive Women’s Forum (EWF), sponsored by Alta Associates, to offer a full scholarship to one Master of Science in Information Security Technology and Management (MSISTM) or Master of Science in Information Networking (MSIN) student each year.

Alta Associates is a premier executive recruitment firm specializing in Information Security, IT Audit, Risk Management and Privacy. In 2003, Alta Associates organized the first-ever Executive Women's Forum on Information Security for leaders in information security, privacy and risk management, and they have been holding annual EWF's since that time. The EWF is a group of over 200 of the most senior executive women in information security, risk management and privacy who meet yearly to share experiences and build trust-based relationships.

This scholarship was first offered in Fall 2007. Awardees, known as EWF Fellows, will receive a full scholarship and will be mentored by an EWF participant at a senior level in the information security field. In addition, Alta Associates and Carnegie Mellon plan to create a mentoring program between EWF and Women@INI (WINI).

Recipients of the EWF scholarship must meet the following criteria:

Meet all criteria for admission to the INI's MSISTM or MSIN program
Have an accumulated GPA of at least 3.25 prior to entering Carnegie Mellon and maintain a minimum 3.25 GPA while at the INI
Have no outstanding employment contract or obligation while attending Carnegie Mellon
Show exemplary promise and potential
Demonstrate exceptional leadership skills

Conference Scholarships

The Women@INI scholarship program will award scholarships each year to students who show academic merit and proven leadership in Women@INI and other academic programs. These scholarships will allow recipients to attend conferences focusing on women in technology.

For more information about the Women@INI scholarship program, contact our faculty advisor, Lorrie Cranor.

If you would like to become involved with Women@INI or have any questions or suggestions, please contact one of our student officers or our faculty advisor.